Various types of boilers are used in different applications including steam boilers for generating electrical power. The electrical power may be generated for a public company or may be part of a large manufacturing process such as a paper mill.
The boilers from time to time require maintenance and this maintenance typically requires the erection of scaffolding within the boilers which can be several stories high. Access to these boilers can be limited and there can be a very significant cost associated with such a power system being down for maintenance. For many applications repairs must be completed quickly to return the unit to normal operation.
Typically the boilers include lower converging walls with an open bottom portion.
There are a number of systems for servicing such boilers including the founding ladder system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,026 and the scaffolding system for sloped surfaces disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,382. Each, of these references include a system that includes an elongate beam extending between the converging walls of the boiler with support members extending and engaging the sloped boiler walls with scaffolding systems supported from these components.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,026 includes a specialized scaffold leg with a ‘V’ shaped base portion that engages a support member of a channel cross-section. This channel effectively cradles the support leg of the scaffold and allows the scaffold to pivot in the channel. In this way the scaffold leg can be positioned vertically within the boiler. This structure requires specialized scaffold support legs as well as specialized equipment for engaging the lower converging walls of the boiler wall in combination with conventional scaffolding.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,382 uses a particular bracing arrangement between scaffold legs to maintain the scaffolding above a base beam. This support arrangement is again specific to the boiler application and is not assembled in the manner of conventional scaffolding.
The present invention is directed to an improved founding ladder support system as well as a unique founding chair that simplifies the installation of scaffolding within a boiler.